A Reason to Fly
by Jackunzelhayniac3
Summary: Rapunzel Corona and Merida Dunbroch have been best friends for years, so a vacation with Merida and her family at their lake house is no big deal, but when Merida's brother, Hiccup, invites Rapunzel's long-time crush, Jack Overland, to come along, what seemed like a normal relaxing trip quickly turns into a week that neither teenager will forget. The Big Four modern AU Jackunzel.
1. Chapter 1

**A Reason to Fly - A Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons Fanfiction**

* * *

><p><em>Friday<em>

~Rapunzel~~~~

When Rapunzel got the call, she was already ready to leave. That day had been one of many in which she wishes she could just crawl into a hole and cry to her heart's content. Her step-mother had been through some terrifying emotional roller coasters , but none had been this intense before. Rapunzel can't stand the constant yelling and hitting and noise. She's staring at her bedroom ceiling, trying to drown out sound of glass shattering from the floor below, when the house phone chimes in the next room over. Needing something to take her mind off of the chaos downstairs, she races to answer it, and a sigh of relief escapes her mouth when her best friend's voice reaches her ears.

Merida has been her best friend ever since elementary school, yet she couldn't think of a single time in which Merida had failed to be there for her when she needed her. Merida's house has always felt like a kind of haven for her, but now it's her refuge, a retreat, and she can't wait to get there. While her best friend informs her on the plans for that night, one word echos in Rapunzel's mind: _lake_. "I can't wait to finally be up there again," she breathes.

"Yeah isn't it great! We'll be up there for a whole week!"

Ever since February, when the Dunbroch's had last taken her, she's been dying to go back. Mrs. Dunbroch grew up in a quaint cabin on a lake in Wisconsin, and her family often travels back to her hometown for a vacation. The lake is about as far north in Wisconsin as you can get without accidentally wandering in the Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and although it's only a five hour drive, it always feels like a million miles away. In a word: it's paradise. There's nothing but trees, cabins, dirt roads, and lakes as far as the eye can see, and that's how it's always been.

She barely remembers to say goodbye before hanging up the phone and scrambling to stuff her belongings into her beat-up suitcase. For the first time in weeks, she's going to be away from the fear and tension; this week will be all about forgetting everything about her life at home and really _living_.

By the time she parks in the Dunbroch's driveway, the sun has already set, and the stars seem to shine brighter than usual, as if they are shining for her. Merida ushers her in as soon as Rapunzel slips off her sandals and practically drags her up the stairs to her room. Glancing around, Rapunzel admires all of the clutter strewn around the room and how starkly it contrasts with her own painstakingly spotless step-mother, Gothel, hates messy rooms, and Rapunzel has learned over the years to always keep her bedroom pristine for that reason. The chaos of the room is comforting, somehow, as if it is a physical reminder that although she's not at her house anymore, she feels more at home than she ever has. Off in her own little world, she suddenly realizes that Merida's trying to talk to her and only catches the last part of her friend's sentence.

". . . and I wanted to call the king-sized bed in the other room for us, but Hiccup just _had_ to claim it for him and Jack."

The name echoes in her ears, and she's positive that she had heard wrong. "Jack?" She squeaks.

Merida looks sideways at her, a knowing smile creeping onto her face, and teases her by drawing out his name. "Yes, Jack!"

An excited shiver crawls up her spine as she asks weakly, "You mean, he's right across the hall . . . in Hiccup's room . . . right now?"

All Merida does is giggle, and Rapunzel's breath is sucked out her lungs at the thought of only being separated by the thin wall that is shared by both Merida's room and Hiccup's, her best friend's older brother. What only one other person in the world knows is that Rapunzel likes Jack more than she's willing to admit. Merida is the only one she's told, but she's starting to get sick of holding all of her emotions inside her head. Every time he's around, her heart pounds so hard that it's a mystery how it hasn't burst right out of her chest by now. There's nothing about him that doesn't make her heart melt. He could be walking down the stairs, and all she can do is stare. It wouldn't matter if he wore a baggy T-shirt and sweatpants; he'd still be beautiful to her. Jack has this way about him, a care-free ease that just pulls her in.

The problem is that he doesn't even act like he notices her most of the time. It never seems like he does it on purpose, but for some reason he just doesn't seem to notice that she's there, no matter how hard she tries to stand out. That said, it doesn't make her like him any less. Actually, it's the exact opposite. His blindness just makes her fall harder for him, even though it doesn't make sense to her. Every time they've been in the same place, Rapunzel's tried to catch his eye, grab his attention, but she's only managed to hold his gaze for a few seconds at a time. At the beginning of the summer she'd promised herself that that would finally change, even if she would have to make it happen herself. What she didn't plan on is for her opportunity to come so fast, and, frankly, it scares her half to death knowing that she'll have to tell him the truth already.

Pushing the distracting thoughts away, she sheds her jeans in favor of her fluffy pajama pants and spreads out her sleeping bag across the carpet. Her best friend switches off the light before whispering goodnight. For a few minutes, Rapunzel stares at the black space where she knows the shared wall is, and a million thoughts compete for attention. How can she be so close to him but feel like he's halfway across the world? A sharp pinch tugs at her heart, but she quickly wills it away and tries to imagine herself lying on the sand at the beach with the bright sun warm on her skin. When she closes her eyes against the darkness, however, all she can see is her step-mother's shadow looming over her, screaming as her anger flares more and more. It's a sight that she knows all too well, and even miles away, she can still hear Gothel's voice haunting her. All Rapunzel wants to do is make it stop, but no matter how hard she tries, she can't wake herself up. She's trapped.

* * *

><p>~Jack~~~~<p>

Jack is beside himself with excitement about spending the next week with his best friend at his family's lake house. All he ever thinks about is how thrilling riding ATVs beneath the canopy of bright green trees will be. He had spent all day just daydreaming about the wind in his shirt and the trail of dirt that would lazily swirl behind him.

He smiles to himself just thinking about it, and before he knows it, it's already eleven o'clock, with the consequences of staring at a TV screen for too long starting to take their toll on him. Unsuccessfully, he tries to stifle a yawn while Hiccup fumbles in the dark trying to shut the game system off. Jack doesn't even have to force his eyes closed, instead letting gravity work its magic as he slips into his sleeping bag.

Just as sleep threatens to take him away, he's jolted awake by muffled noises. The neon red numbers of Hiccup's digital clock across the floor read 11:31 P.M., and Jack lets out a frustrated moan. He scans the room from the floor, but Hic is still sound asleep in his bed. Once again, soft cries reach his ears and it dawns on him that they're coming from the next room. Merida's room.

All annoyance disappears as he quickly gets up and picks his way over Hiccup's creaky floor before peeking into the other bedroom. At first, all he can see is a girl's figure in the bed on the opposite side of the room, obviously Merida, but as he opens the door a hair wider he notices another on the floor in front of him. The girl's body is shaking underneath a heap of blankets,her entire form shuddering all at once. When a little bit of moonlight streaks in through the slats in the blinds, he immediately recognizes her.

Rapunzel?

Jack sinks to the floor, sitting back on his heels in shock as white beams reflect off of the tears streaming down her cheeks. Her unexpected presence catches him off guard, making his whole body tense up in the dark. The girl a foot in front of him looks nothing like when he last saw her, six months ago. Before, she had been almost as confident and stubborn as Merida with only hints of vulnerability here and there. Now, however, she looks so helpless and scared; whipping her head from side to side in her sleep; her long blonde hair sprawled like golden spun sugar across her pillow. But there isn't anything he can do. He can't risk waking her up and getting caught watching her like this. He furiously rakes his hands through the cropped white-blond strands of his hair, his hands itching to reach out and stop her pain. Guilt gnaws at him just watching her toss and turn and cry. A whimper escapes her tight lips, and it's all Jack can do to keep his feet firmly planted where he crouches. This isn't just a normal nightmare, he realizes as Rapunzel suddenly starts to break out in a sweat; something is seriously wrong.

**A/N - This is my first story on here, so I'm just testing out the waters. To me, this seems like a short chapter, and to be honest, I'm nervous to see how readers react to it. So please review and let me know what you think! Also, since this is my first fanfiction, please go easy on me if you can...**

**Side Note: I strongly ship Merricup, but this pairing will not be featured in this fanfiction in case you were wondering. I wanted to use the Big Four because I think their bond is, and should be, unbreakable, but it fit better in my head if Merida and Hiccup were siblings, so there you go.**

**~Jackunzelhayniac3~**


	2. Chapter 2

~Rapunzel~~~~

Just after Friday slips into Saturday, Rapunzel's shaken awake by her best friend. On the phone yesterday, Merida had told her that they would be leaving for the lake house early in the morning, but she wasn't prepared to get up this early. Still groggy from the horrid night's sleep, she trudges downstairs and barely remembers to change out of her pajamas before piling into the Dunbroch's SUV after Hiccup. Blinking, she does a double-take and realizes that the boy next to her isn't actually Hic; it's Jack. Unexpectedly, she feels a smile creeping onto her face at the sight of him, her heart beating fast when his arm brushes against hers.

Once on the road, sleep once again tugs at her eyelids. She tries to fight it and stay awake, in case her horrible dream returns, but it's too much to resist. She's about to nod off, her eyes already sealed shut, when the car suddenly takes a sharp right turn. The momentum throws her up against Jack and causes her head to roll onto his shoulder. Scared to breathe, Rapunzel waits for him to shake her off of him, disgusted, but he hardly flinches. He just looks down at her for a moment before his eyes return to looking out the window, probably assuming that she's still sound asleep. Relieved, she sighs and lets sleep consume her completely, nestling her head into the hollow of his neck.

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><p>~Jack~~~~<p>

Jack turns his head to look at Rapunzel, unable to resist. He quickly averts his eyes before anyone sees him staring, opting to look out the window instead. He can't help but like the weight of her head on his shoulder and how natural it feels. Shaking his head, he tries to clear his mind of those kinds of thoughts. It's just Rapunzel, he reminds himself. Still, he can't muster up the guts to shrug her off. She just looks so calm, and, judging by the awful nightmare he'd witnessed earlier, he reasons that she probably needs the extra sleep. With that, he takes one last look at her calm face and peers out at the black night once again.

After a few hours, however, he grows tired of looking out at the monotonous shadows. He shifts to look at the sleeping girl next to him and realizes that his eyelids are slowly growing heavier by the second. Making sure he doesn't wake her up, he gently lowers his head on top of hers. His cheek rests on her soft hair, using it as a pillow of sorts, and he drifts off into a peaceful sleep with the faint scent of her perfume pushing him over the edge into complete slumber.

The interior of the car fades away to the view of the lake from the dock. Glistening water stretches out before him, and he realizes with a start that in his dream Rapunzel is still right beside him, her head still resting on his collarbone. Their feet dangle in the water, yet he can't feel the liquid on his skin. The deep red and gold colors in the sky shine so vividly that they bathe the entire cove in a blanket of orange. Though it's unclear to him why, he snakes an arm around the sleeping girl's waist, tugging her closer, and closes his eyes against the warm sunlight. Minutes fly by as they sit in paradise before a jerking movement on his shoulder wakes him up.

His eyes bolt open, and he gasps softly as the beautiful lake deteriorates into the leather seats of the SUV. Rapunzel winces, curls into him, and wraps her arm around his in her sleep, making it clear to him that her nightmare isn't as easy to get rid of as he had thought. Taking care to check that no one is watching, Jack reaches for her free hand and rubs his thumb over her white knuckles. Almost immediately Rapunzel's body relaxes, the tension in her face wiped away.

Hours seem to pass like seconds to him. One minute he's watching her eyelids as they flutter every so often, and the next the SUV pulls into a long dirt driveway. Glancing sideways at Rapunzel's sleeping face, he knows that he should wake her up, but something inside of him says otherwise. So when the car crawls to a stop in front of the simple log cabin, he quickly hops out, slides his arms under her, and lifts her bridal-style off the leather seats. Carefully, he carries her through the cabin door.

The earthy smell of pine needles greets him in a wave as soon as he crosses the threshold into the kitchen. Jack inhales deeply, taking it all in and finding comfort in the change in atmosphere. The cabin itself has a simplistic layout, with the main family room to the left of the front door and a hallway with the spare bedrooms just off of that. The family room spills over into a porch that has been renovated into a sort of game room complete with a dining table and shelves overflowing with different assortments of games lined up along the far wall.

Jack passes through the kitchen and turns down the hallway. The girls had been assigned the room to the far right, and when he pushes the door open, he finds two twin beds on opposite walls. He gently sets her down on one of the mattresses before crossing the room and pulling back the blankets on the other. Picking up Rapunzel and carrying her over to the now uncovered bed, Jack notices for the first time how easily he can lift her. It's almost as if she's made of feathers; she's so light in his arms. He waves the thought away and passively notes that maybe football weight-training is finally starting to pay off. As he lays her down and pulls the covers around her, Rapunzel's mouth turns up into a smile, and it feels like she's smiling at _him_. "Goodnight, Punzie," he whispers, smirking at the pet-name he used to call her when they were kids.

He quickly turns to exit the room, hoping no one notices that he'd been gone, but pauses just long enough to look over his shoulder one last time to see her sleepy smile before closing the door behind him.

* * *

><p>~Rapunzel~~~~<p>

Morning rays stream through the slatted blinds, scattering shards of light onto the carpet. Rapunzel's head feels foggy from the lack of sleep, and her memory of the night before is spotty. All she remembers is falling asleep in the car, but vaguely recalls that Jack had whispered her name. _No,_ her mind corrects, _he whispered my _nickname. It must have been a dream, she reasons, but even so, the thought of him calling her "Punzie" sends exhilarating shivers up her spine.

Blinking, she sits up and stretches, a smile spreading across her face when she hears cheery voices bubble in from the cracked-open door. Checking her reflection in the bathroom mirror, Rapunzel combs through her waist-length blonde hair with her fingers before heading out to greet her hosts. The entire Dunbroch family is seated at the breakfast table in the porch, lost in laughter as she enters the room. She immediately catches Jack's gaze from across the table, and he opens his mouth as if to say something to her, but Mr. Dunbroch suddenly turns around in his chair and calls, "Oh, you're awake! Good morning! Did you sleep okay?"

Caught off guard, Rapunzel stammers, "Uh, yes I did, thank you. Do you mind if I get a bowl of cereal from the kitchen?"

"Of course not! Help yourself to whatever you can find."

Nodding her thanks, Rapunzel retreats to the kitchen, suddenly starving when she remembers that she never ate dinner last night. She returns to the table with her breakfast only to find that all of the seats are taken. Without looking up from her iPad, Mrs. Dunbroch nods to her son, "Hiccup, get a chair for Rapunzel, please."

The boy in question moans in protest, quickly shoving a large bite of toast into his mouth before pushing back away from the table.

"Here," Jack interrupts, abruptly rising from his chair, "just take mine."

Hurriedly, Rapunzel stutters, "Oh, no, you don't need to do that. I'm fine, really."

"I'm up anyway," He replies with a heavy shrug before heading to the kitchen to drop off his plate.

She obediently sits down in the proffered seat, baffled. _That was weird_, her mind bluntly states, and for a few moments, the room remains silent.

"Well, what a gentleman!" Mrs. Dunbroch comments, giving her son a hard look before turning her attention back to her tablet. Merida glances over at her best friend, a question in her eyes, but Rapunzel just stares back at her with an equally confused expression, unsure what to think either.

Spooning the cereal in her mouth, Rapunzel quickly finishes her breakfast to escape the awkward silence that had fallen over the table. She carefully places her dishes into the dishwasher and hurries back to her and Merida's room. Desperately in need of a change in scenery, Rapunzel yanks off her pajamas and slips into her bright purple Tank-ini, grabbing her sunglasses and towel from her tote bag in the porch, before walking through the back door that leads out onto the deck. Instantly, the sun's rays brings a warm glow of heat to her skin as she picks her way down the steep, crumbling stone staircase that leads to the water's edge.

When she steps out onto the pier, she's surprised to see Jack already on the docked pontoon boat, facing away from her as he lathers sunscreen onto his arms and legs. She takes a step towards him, but he suddenly pulls his tight shirt over his head, and her heart stops dead in her chest. She struggles to breathe as the sun highlights the golden tan on his muscles, clearly defined from years of being the star football quarterback. Frozen, her eyes take him in, and she tries to say something, anything, but her words die in her throat.

Without warning, he turns around and smiles at her, and he doesn't even have to say anything for her to know that she's been caught red-handed. Mustering up her pride and willing her cheeks to cool down, Rapunzel holds her head high, joins him on the pontoon, and steals the bottle of sunscreen from him. She refuses to meet his eyes, opting instead to look out at the water or the floor beneath her as she rubs the lotion into her skin.

Plausible excuses scroll in her mind, and she opens her mouth to test one but sees the smirk on his face and bites her tongue. Knowing that whatever she says will sound forced and petty, she decides to let him draw his own conclusions. Is she embarrassed? Sort of, but not as much as she thought she should be. She's almost glad that he noticed her watching; maybe it'll give him some kind of hint to how she feels. But is it enough?

Rapunzel stops, the bottle of sunscreen halfway to her arm, and steals a glance over at the boy next to her on the padded bench. He's so different from her, and definitely a little intimidating due to the fact that he's a year older and has at least a foot on her height. Would a care-free senior like him really date an introverted junior like her? _Whoa, whoa, whoa, girl. Slow down,_ her thoughts remind her,_ it's not like he's ever done anything to make you think that he'd even be remotely interested in you. He's a quarterback remember? He probably has enough cheerleaders his own age to choose from_.

Suddenly Jack looks up at her, his stunning ice blue eyes throwing her for a loop and breaking her train of thought. In this moment, something in his eyes tells her that there's more to him than what's on the surface and that, given the chance, he wouldn't fit the stereotype of a normal, stuck-up quarterback.

Immediately something inside of her makes her regret thinking he would be shallow enough to feel limited to cheerleaders. Just by the way he looks at her with a flicker of curiosity embedded in pools of cerulean makes her feel like melting into the floor. He smiles genuinely at her, but she has a feeling that he's hiding something behind that impish grin.

Just then, Hiccup and Merida come barreling down the stairs, arguing like always. Rapunzel looks away from Jack, her face growing hot as her best friend plops down next to her on the boat. Merida and her brother continue to debate as they smear sun-tan lotion on their skin, oblivious to the red-faced girl and the boy still staring at her.

**A/N - In my opinion, this chapter is longer, but maybe that's because it took longer to edit... anyways, I hope you guys like chapter 2! Please review and tell me what you think!**

**Also, I want to give a shout-out to my first reviewers: Mayarajelly. , CelesteGurl, and Aria1357. You guys definitely made my day, and I appreciate every compliment and recommendation you give me! I wasn't confident about my story or my writing abilities in general, but you guys gave me the encouragement I needed... so thank you a million times over!**


	3. Chapter 3

~Jack~~~~

Jack finds himself unable to look away from her. When he looked in her eyes, he had felt something that he'd never felt before, and it both scared him and left him wanting more at the same time. She had completely thrown him off, and she didn't say a word to him. She didn't need to. Her emerald green eyes had told him a glimpse of a story, barely a taste of what she hides behind her bright smiles. He had seen emotions he couldn't even begin to understand: anxiety, hesitation, hope, but also pain, fear, and raw vulnerability. It didn't make sense. All she had done was look at him, but she had also put her true feelings out on display, even if it was just for one accidental moment.

Rapunzel had averted her eyes as soon as Merida and Hiccup had arrived, closing him off from things she obviously didn't mean for him to see. He waits for her to steal a glance at him again, but she never does. Instead, a heavy sigh escapes her lips as she hops off the pontoon and onto the dock. Her toes curl around the edge of the pier, and she seems to hesitate for a brief second before plunging head-first into the clear lake.

Without even thinking, Jack jumps in after her, tucking in his legs for a cannon-ball before hitting the surface with a splash. The cold water cools his skin and wakes up his senses as he follows Rapunzel out to the plastic raft tethered in the middle of the cove. It doesn't take long for Hic and Merida to join them in the water, and soon all four of them are on the raft, dripping wet. For a minute, they just stare at one another, waiting for someone to do, or at least say, something.

Impatient, Jack swoops down and picks up Rapunzel like he had the night before, bluntly stating, "Time's up," as he tosses her into the lake.

Her body crashes into the water, and when she rises to the surface, a glare is plastered on her face. She climbs back onto the raft, never steering her narrowed eyes away from his, and stalks towards him. Before he even has time to brace himself, she pushes hard on his chest, forcing him to lose his balance and fall backwards. His back smacks against the flat water, stinging a little from the impact.

He mirrors her glare once he resurfaces, but Rapunzel just shrugs and mocks, "'Time's up'."

Jack laughs dryly and holds a hand out to her. "Ha, ha, very funny, now can you at least help me up?"

Surprisingly, she takes his proffered hand, and as soon as he feels her palm against his, he yanks her forward. A scream escapes her lips before she lands squarely on top of him, pushing him down under the water with her. Their arms and legs tangle as they both frantically rise to burst through the paper-thin membrane of the water. Gasping for air, Rapunzel splashes him the moment he pops up beside her and pushes his head back underwater to give her enough of a head-start to climb onto the raft before he can stop her.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Merida whips around and shoves Hiccup off the raft, too. Mercy is not an option anymore as the boys scramble to get to their feet and fight.

It turns into an all-out war, boys against girls.

The wrestling lasts for at least a half an hour without a clear winner, but soon enough the fighting slows and the four collapse onto the raft, one after another. They lay in the sun, soaking up its rays and recuperating from the dog-fight. Next to Jack, Rapunzel's chest rises and falls heavily with every breath she takes. He shifts to face her, his head propped up on his elbow. "Man, you really put up a fight," he comments.

Blinking, she replies, "Thanks, I think."

"No, really, you're pretty good . . . for a girl."

Her eyes narrow, and her voice is playfully offended when she shoots back, "What do you mean, 'for a girl'?"

"Well, I mean you're good, sure, but you're not as good as me," he tests.

"Oh really? If I remember right I pushed you in, like, a million times!"

"Yeah, but that just means I pushed you in a million and one times 'cause I threw you in first."

Rapunzel scoffs and sticks her tongue out at him, and Jack rolls onto his back in laughter.

* * *

><p>~Rapunzel~~~~<p>

His laugh is infectious, and it doesn't take long for Rapunzel to follow his lead and laugh uncontrollably herself. Question marks are written all over Merida's face, but Rapunzel just shrugs in response. "You're so full of it," she accuses the boy beside her.

His face contorts into a feigned look of hurt, "I am not!"

"Are too! I bet you think you can beat me at everything and are convinced that I'm weak and fragile just because I'm a girl."

Jack shrugs, "Maybe that's because I can."

"Okay I may be sort of weak," she confesses, "but I am not fragile. I could take you on any day."

"Oh, really?" He asks, his tone skeptical.

Just then, Mr. Dunbroch calls from the dock, waving a boat key in the air, "Anyone up for tubing?"

Jack turns back to Rapunzel, a challenge written in his sapphire eyes, "We'll see about that little bet. I guess now you'll get your chance to prove yourself."

Before she has a chance to ask what he means, he scrambles to his feet and dives into the lake. Within seconds, all four of them are in the water once again, racing towards shore. Jack reaches the dock first, and runs to claim the life-jackets - one for himself and the other for Hiccup. The girls reluctantly let them go first, and wrap themselves in their towels before climbing into the back Mr. Dunbroch's speedboat. Rapunzel watches her best friend tie the tubing rope to the boat, and Merida's father settles into the driver's seat.

Rapunzel claims a spot on the long bench seat at the back of the boat, wrapping her towel tighter around her legs before combing through her wet hair with her fingers. Hiccup carefully steps off the dock and onto the small round tube sitting patiently in the water, making barely enough room on the other side for his friend. She sees Jack roll his eyes and leap onto the tube, making little waves as it bobs up and down in the lake.

They signal that they're ready, and Merida turns to her dad. "Hit it!"

The engine roars to life, and the boat slowly inches backwards away from the pier. Mr. Dunbroch straightens out the boat, and as soon as the the rope snaps taught, they lurch forward, large waves curling behind the motor. The boys whoop and holler in excitement when they swing out of the wake and bounce on the white-caps. Mr. Dunbroch turns the boat in sharp curves that resemble an "S", sending the tubers flying over the waves.

Hiccup signals for his dad to drive them in circles, and he complies, taking his wish to the extreme. Mr. Dunbroch whips the boat in impossibly tight turns, and the underside of the tube catches air as the boys hit enormous heights. While skimming across the surface, the tube gets stuck on the side of the wake, dangerously teetering on the edge.

Suddenly, a big wave finally flips it over, plunging the boys into the water. Merida yells at her father over the noisy engine, telling him that Jack and Hiccup had flown off. Immediately, the boat slows and circles back to pick up the fallen riders. As they pass Hiccup, it's obvious by the way he's holding his back that he'd smacked it pretty hard on the fall. Jack, on the other hand, has already climbed back onto the tube, ready to hit the waves again. Rapunzel watches as Hiccup shakes his head at his best friend, "I'd better sit this one out."

Jack's face falls, clearly disappointed, and tries to reason, "Oh, come on, man! It wasn't that bad. Once you get up and out on the water you'll forget all about it. Plus, you're already here!"

Hiccup still doesn't budge, motioning instead for his dad to shut off the boat's engine so that he can come aboard.

Not wanting Jack to have to give up his ride, Rapunzel calls out to him, her voice even despite her pounding heart, "Hey, you wouldn't mind tubing with a girl, now, would you?"

"Not at all, but you'll have to swim out here, first," he retorts.

She takes Hiccup's life-jacket and slips it on, trying to calm her excited nerves. The cold water sends a chill through her body when she jumps in, but she welcomes it as she swims out to a very impatient Jack.

"Gosh, you take forever," he teases when she reaches the bright purple tube.

"I would have gotten here sooner if you had helped pull the tube in closer," she shoots back, "but now that I'm here, can you at least help me up, please?"

Jack rolls his eyes as he lends her an outstretched hand. She grabs it and tugs as hard as she can, purposely pulling him into the water. Laughing, Rapunzel scrambles onto the vinyl as he pops out of the water, sputtering, "What the heck was that for?"

She simply shrugs and states, "Payback."

"All right, all right," he sighs. "You win." Jack hauls himself up next to her and grabs a free handle in each hand. "You've had your payback; now we're even, okay?"

"Fine," she relents, "but that means no purposely pushing me off either."

"Truce?"

"Truce," she agrees, holding out her hand for him to shake. He returns the gesture, and as soon as his palm meets hers, something almost like electricity shoots up her arm, and she pulls away as if it had actually shocked her. Jack hesitantly places his hand back on one of the foam handles of the tube, and she opens her mouth to apologize, but the roar of the boat engine cuts her off as they surge forward.

The sudden lurch catches her off guard, and for a moment Rapunzel forgets to hold on. She fumbles around for a handle, but it's too late; she closes her eyes, knowing that she's a split-second away from flying off, when a firm hand bolts around her waist. Rapunzel quickly opens her eyes again to see Jack's right arm around her, holding her down. Breathless, she struggles to tell him over the noise, "Um, thanks!"

"No problem," he yells back.

But he doesn't move his arm.

Unsure of what to say, she quickly grabs the closest handles, hanging on tight as they fly over the open water. The tube swings this way and that, launching them over the choppy waves. Jack yells in excitement when they slide over the flat water. She peers down at the smooth surface beneath them and runs her fingers over the glass-like lake. After a few more rounds of moderate waves, she feels ready for anything, squealing in delight every time the tube is launched into the air.

Out of nowhere, Mr. Dunbroch swings the boat left in a tight arc, and a chill runs down Rapunzel's spine when she discovers their destination. A minefield of enormous waves rapidly surges towards them, and she screams as they shoot into the air and crash back down onto the surface. Up and down they fly over the massive waves, like a roller coaster nightmare, until they skim over flat open water again. Another left turn and the monstrous white-caps come barreling back, ready to strike once more.

Dread fills her stomach, and she yells to the boy next to her, "I'm going to let go."

Jack gives her a confused look. "Why?"

_My arms burn from crouching, my knuckles ache from gripping the handles so tight, and my knees are rubbed raw from the vinyl; that's why!_

She can hardly hold on as she yells, louder this time, "Jack, I'm going to fall off!"

He looks over at her white knuckles on the tube handles, a look of concern crossing his face. "No, you won't."

Despite his reassurance, the dread doesn't go away as they fly closer and closer to the dangerous waves. She instinctively curls into him and squeezes her eyes shut. Without warning, Jack's arm leaves her side and he lets go of the handles, his body catching the wind and flying backwards off the tube. Immediately the boat yanks to the right, away from the terrifying waves, and slowly crawls over to where Jack is waiting. Merida grabs the tubing rope and pulls a speechless Rapunzel towards the boat.

"Dude, what happened? We weren't even to the huge waves yet, how the heck did you fall off?" Hiccup asks his smirking friend.

Jack steals the smallest of glances at Rapunzel as he replies, "My pants were falling down! It was me or the shorts; one of us was going to fly off, and I wasn't about to moon the entire lake."

His perfect excuse makes the entire group laugh, but the girl on the tube is too busy staring at him with questioning eyes to notice.

* * *

><p>~Jack~~~~<p>

Jack couldn't help it. She had looked so dang scared, and he felt like he had to do something. He didn't know what her deal was with those waves, but he couldn't sit there and watch when she looked that terrified. Never once had he ever intentionally fallen off when tubing, until today that is. Something was just telling him to let go, so he had.

He steps into the shower and lets the hot water soothe his body, hoping it'll clear his head, but a nagging thought won't go away. Why did it matter to him how scared she was? He's not heartless or anything, but still. Technically, he's only hung out with her a couple of times over the years, and only when she happened to be at the Dunbroch's at the same time he was.

On the other hand, Hic had been his friend since kindergarten, but Jack wouldn't even think to purposely give up tubing if Hiccup was really that scared. His head starts spinning with all of the confusion, so he turns off the faucet and dries off with a towel, wiping away his thoughts like the water on his skin.

But when Hiccup confides in him late that night, he starts to feel weird all over again.

"You have a crush on Rapunzel?" Jack repeats incredulously.

"Yeah, I know it's sort of out of the blue, but I kinda do," Hiccup confesses, a blush crawling up his neck.

Jack runs a hand through his hair and looks down at his feet, not knowing how to respond.

"She's just so pretty and high-spirited, you know?" Hiccup continues. "She has this kind of contagious laugh, and that smile . . ." He forgets to end his sentence as he spaces out, probably thinking about her, which is what Jack is trying so hard not to do. Jack sits on the floor and listens to his best friend go on about Rapunzel, nodding and biting his tongue to keep from yelling. Finally, Hiccup runs out of steam and collapses onto the bed, mumbling something along the lines of, "Want to go to bed now?"

Laying there, unable to sleep, Rapunzel is the only thing that Jack can think about. Shouldn't he feel happy for his friend? This is the first time in a while that Hiccup has liked someone. Then why is his mind treating it as if this was a bad thing? Sure, when he looked into Rapunzel's eyes that morning, he had instantly felt this strange connection with her, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. But on the raft, they had laid there laughing so effortlessly, and it felt like they were the only two people on the planet, teasing and joking as if they had been friends for years.

All of his thoughts tangle themselves in knots in his mind, but when he feels the beginnings of another headache, he shoves them all away and focuses on the silence. Thankfully, sleep washes over him and drowns out the straggling memories of her laughing face.

**A/N - So I tried to make this one a little longer, but I can't really tell if it is haha. Do you like where this is going, or no? Please review and tell me what you think! I know I've been updating kind of quickly, but that's only because it's the weekend and I actually have time to write. During the week I probably won't update mostly because of work and school, but also a little because I want to keep you guys hanging for a bit :)**

**Side Note: If you guys like ****_my_**** stuff, then you need to check out "Nip at My Nose" by MicMic and "It's Good to Believe" by ZuEra. Their Jackunzel fanfics are TO DIE FOR, and they were my inspiration to write my own!**

**"And on that bombshell", I hope you guys liked this chapter! ;)**

**~Jackunzelhayniac3~**


	4. Chapter 4

_Sunday_

~Rapunzel~~~~

Rapunzel straps on her borrowed motorcycle helmet, undeniably excited about today. She hasn't ridden ATV's on actual trails since the first time she came with Merida to the lake. Now it's a whole year later, and Rapunzel's beside herself with anticipation. Hopping onto Merida's over-sized red four-wheeler, she waits for everyone else to finish getting ready. She looks around for her best friend, but can't seem to find her. Suddenly, someone blocks her view, and she's surprised to see Jack plop down right in front of her on the sleek black seat of the ATV. Confused, Rapunzel raises the visor on her helmet and asks, "Isn't this Merida's?"

Without turning around, Jack replies, "Yeah, but she has to stay back to help her mom and didn't want you to miss your ride."

She waits for him to explain why he, in particular, is driving her, and why he's suddenly acting so rigid around her, but he doesn't.

Mr. Dunbroch pulls up beside them on his dirt-bike, and yells over the noise, "Some parts of these trails are tricky, Jack, but just take your time, and you'll be fine." Merida's dad turns his attention to Rapunzel, "Like I said, most parts of these trails aren't really smooth, and this ATV doesn't have too many hand-holds after we boarded up the back," he said, patting the black ply-wood attached to the cage behind her, "so hold on to Jack if you need to."

She nods, speechless. Jack nods as well, but stiffly. He starts the motor and idles until both Hiccup and his dad have passed on their bikes before revving the engine and taking off down the driveway. Rapunzel holds onto the sides of the black board behind her as the riders fly over the road, dust forming long, thick clouds behind them. The trail has lots of sharp twists and turns, but Jack conquers them easily, never even slowing down.

The wind whips through Rapunzel's hair, tugging on the loose blonde strands underneath her helmet. The sides of Jack's cut-off T-shirt flap furiously in the breeze and whip against her bare legs. Trees blend together as they pass, the bushes just blurs of green. She tilts her head back to look at the sky, and the branches of the trees shatter the blue into individual shards of color like a stained-glass window.

Lost in thought, she doesn't see that the road ahead dives seemingly straight down. As the ATV tips over the lip of the hill, the steep descent catches her off guard, and the momentum throws her forward against Jack's back. She instinctively wraps her arms around his waist to keep from falling off. He stiffens at her touch, and Rapunzel shyly loosens her grip, but still keeps her arms around him. Her heart pounds violently in her chest when she feels his muscles tighten under her hands through the thin cotton of his shirt. Growing bolder, she leans her helmet against his back and relaxes. As she closes her eyes, the wind is the only reminder that she's still moving, and within moments she can sense the tilt of an incline as the ATV climbs higher and higher.

Soon, the riders are on flat ground again, and Rapunzel opens her eyes. They are resting on the top of a massive hill, the view of the endless forest below stealing her breath away. Jack pushes hard against the gas trigger, and the machine surges down the other side of the hill. Giggling in delight, Rapunzel holds her arms out wide, a feeling of weightlessness overcoming her. She squeezes her eyes shut once more, and a sensation of flight washes over her before the terrain levels out again. For a moment, she forgets the world around her and leans into the boy in front of her, wrapping her arms tighter around his waist and squeezing hard in sheer joy. He jumps at her hug, but doesn't protest as they follow the Dunbroch's trail.

Up here at the lake, Rapunzel loves how she can forget all about her life back home. There's no step-mother to boss her around and tell her who to be or how to act. For the first time in what seems like forever, she feels free. Utterly and completely free. She can be herself around the people she's begun to think of as her second family. They don't have any expectations of her and no mold of who she has to be. Here, she can do things she could never do at home - like fly. That's what she's come to call this: flying. Leaving her worries behind in a cloud of dust and soaring away from it all, never looking back.

It's not about where she came from or what she ran away from; it's about where she's headed, and right now she doesn't know where that is exactly, but that doesn't matter much to her anymore. A few days ago, she had so many regrets and lists of things that she wished she had done differently over the years. Now, however, she can't think of a single one. They're all lost in the dirt and dust they've kicked up and left behind.

* * *

><p><em>Tuesday<em>

~Rapunzel~~~~

The last of the stars are still lazily blinking when Rapunzel wakes up. The sun hasn't risen over the horizon yet, but, judging by the bright red sky, it's going to be a beautiful dawn. She has no idea why her body had woken up so early, but she knows that going back to sleep is pointless now that she's fully awake. Stretching, she climbs out of bed and checks to make sure that Merida is still asleep. Rapunzel tip-toes out of the room, soundlessly creeps across the cabin, and carefully unlocks the wooden outside door. She cracks it open, pushes through the screen door, and shimmies through the thin opening.

The beauty of the sky steals the breath right out of her lungs, and without meaning to, she let's go of the screen door. It slams against it's frame, the loud bang echoing off the surrounding trees and deserted cove. Frozen in place, Rapunzel readies herself for Mister or Missus Dunbroch to come out and yell at her , but no one stirs in the silent cabin.

When her bare feet touch the cool wood of the dock, goose-bumps prickle her skin, and she rubs her bare arms, wishing that she had brought a jacket down with her; even though it's July, the morning chill gives off the impression that it's still January. Walking out onto the pier, she feels like she is the only person in the world. There is not another human being in sight; just her and the open water witness one of the most beautiful sunrises she's ever seen.

The sky is streaked with a spectrum of pink and orange, with hints of midnight blue lingering at the edges of the arch of warm color. Rapunzel sits, leaning against the post at the end of the dock, soaking up the first sun rays of the day and fingering the slippery water beneath her. If she could choose to stay there forever, wrapped up in a golden-pink blanket of light, she would. She feels a sense of belonging and peace rise inside of her, and she closes her eyes against the blinding sun, wishing this moment would never end.

* * *

><p>~Jack~~~~<p>

Jack jolts awake when the slam of a door reaches his ears. Groggily, he reaches for his phone on the bedside table. The time is illuminated on the screen, and he moans when his brain processes the numbers. It's barely six o'clock in the morning, and he had only been asleep for a little over five hours. Fighting the urge to let sleep overcome him, he dizzily gets out of bed, grabs his favorite cobalt blue hoodie off the hook on the back of the door, and slips out to investigate the noise.

He sneaks down the hallway, peeking into the family room and kitchen without noticing a single thing out of place. Poking his head into the porch, he still can't find the source of the disturbance. He's about to give up in frustration when something catches his attention: the door leading outside isn't fully closed. Carefully, he opens it wider, noting that the screen door is unlocked as well, and slips outside.

Stepping out onto the wrap-around deck, Jack spots a figure down on the dock. He shades his eyes from the blinding sun reflecting off the water, but he can't quite tell who's below him. Curious, he sneaks down the stone staircase and crouches at the bottom to get a better look at the figure. Everything in his body seems to freeze all at once when he realizes that it's Rapunzel.

She's resting against a post on the pier, her eyes closed and unaware of his gaze. The bright new sun reflects off of her hair, making it glow like liquid gold, and he can't seem to take his eyes off of her. Knowing he would have to confront her sooner or later before she discovers that he's spying, Jack forces himself to look away. As he begins to take a step out onto the dock, Rapunzel's body shudders, and goosebumps cover her arms and legs. Remembering the sweatshirt in his hand, he silently moves to wrap it around her shoulders. Her eyes pop open the second he lets go of the jacket, and one of her hands flies towards his face while the other covers her mouth as she shrieks.

* * *

><p>~Rapunzel~~~~<p>

The back of her hand meets his cheek before she realizes who it is. Jack tries to bring his arm up to his face in defense, but it's too late. She can already see a red mark forming on his cheekbone as she stammers to apologize.

He just rubs his face where her hand had been, and cuts her off with a smirk and a wave of his hand. "I just thought you could use some protection out here since you were all alone . . . but now I see you can handle yourself pretty dang well," he explains, smiling at her, but hurriedly looks down at the wooden boards. "I heard you slam the door."

Jack picks up his blue sweatshirt from across the dock where she had flung it in the commotion and drapes it around her shoulders.

"I thought you could use this," he offers with a shrug.

He leans against the post across from her, and from this short distance Rapunzel notices how bright and unique Jack's brilliant blue eyes are; she loves the sparks of life in them when the corners of his mouth turn up in a smile.

"Thanks," she replies, "for the sweatshirt I mean. Look, I'm really sorry about the whole slapping thing. If I'd had known it was you, I really wouldn't have hit you. I swear I didn't mean to . . . but when my eyes are closed and something touches me, it's not really my fault what happens next."

"Oh I believe you," he teases, " it really was my fault. I should've known better than to sneak up on a professional ninja."

Rapunzel playfully karate-chops him in the arm. "You better believe it!"

They both crack up laughing, and their voices bounce of the trees around them, sounding as if they are joining in on the joke. She glances at Jack as he laughs, unable to help herself from staring at the small dimples above his smile, but she quickly looks away before he notices. As they sit there together, watching the sun rise over the horizon, Rapunzel pulls Jack's hoodie tighter around her and decides that even if she had the choice, she wouldn't trade this moment away for anything. She feels all her worries fade away like the last fragments of dark blue in the sky, and it's as if a weight is finally lifted off of her shoulders.

Rapunzel looks into Jack's eyes and realizes that when she's with him, she feels like she can be herself. She doesn't have to cower in fear like she does with her step-mother, or fake smiles like she does with strangers, or even hide her feelings deep down inside of her like she does with her other friends. He understands her, in an unspoken yet undeniable way, that makes her feel like nothing she has done or will do can ever faze him. There's an easiness about him that just makes her want to tell him things that she's only ever kept to herself. Then it dawns on her that she can tell him everything; there isn't anyone telling her to keep her past a secret, to hold back. She needs to get it off her chest anyway, so why not just let go?

Words come spilling out of her mouth before she can even register what's happening, and she can't seem to stop them, either. She tells him all about Gothel and the fighting; her dreams and what she wants out of life; how she wants to leave her hometown, and her past, behind. Most of the time, she doesn't even know what the heck she's saying, but Jack simply nods and lets her talk as much as she wants.

When she finally runs out of things to say, he moves to sit next to her, pulls her to him, and holds her tight. She doesn't even realize that she wants to cry until he allows her to, but once he opens that door, tears tickle her cheek as they streak down her face. He rubs her back when sobs shake her body, but he thankfully just lets her cry. When all of her tears are gone, she squeezes him to let him know that she's all right, and he takes her by the shoulders, holding her out at arm's length.

"Better now?"

Rapunzel nods sheepishly, rubbing her arms as she whispers, "I'm sorry about all of this . . ."

Jack tilts his head to the side a little, "Why?"

"I didn't mean to just spew out my life story like that; it just sort of happened, and I'm sorry if you honestly really didn't want to hear it."

He shrugs, and her heart sinks a little, but then he wraps her in another hug. "Don't worry, Punzie, I'm a good listener."

* * *

><p>~Jack~~~~<p>

Jack pries his eyes open, not sure when he had actually fallen asleep. As he stretches, stiff from sitting against the dock post, he shifts the girl on his lap, noticing that she, too, has drifted off. Careful not to wake her up, he reaches for his phone in his sweatshirt pocket that's wrapped around her shoulders. When the numbers glow on the screen, his heart races. They've stayed out there longer than he thought, and someone is bound to wake up soon and see them together like this if they didn't hurry.

He is about to shake Rapunzel awake, but then he sees her face. She looks so peaceful, her expression calm and her mouth pulled up in a sweet smile, that he can't bring himself to take that away from her. Jack slides an arm under her legs and carefully lifts her off the ground; she feels weightless as he carries her up the stone steps to the house. Tip-toeing across the padded floor, he shifts the girl in his arms in order to reach the doorknob. Tucking her back under the covers, he leaves her to dream in peace and soundlessly closes the door behind him.

* * *

><p>~Rapunzel~~~<p>

Muffled laughter floats in from the open door across the room, waking Rapunzel from one of her most beautiful dreams. As she fingers the soft blue fabric around her, realization washes over her like a wave: it wasn't a dream. She unwraps Jack's sweatshirt off her shoulders, suddenly aware of how exposed it had been. Scrambling to hide it under the covers, she frantically looks around the room. A sigh of relief escapes her lips when she sees that Merida's bed is empty across the way. Grateful that her secret is safe, she changes into a comfortable pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt before heading out to the family room.

She is greeted by bubbling laughs when she steps out of the bedroom. Looking at the grinning faces surrounding the breakfast table, Rapunzel instantly feels self-conscious as they turn their attention to her. When Jack meets her gaze and smiles at her, however, reassurance resonates through her. She bids good morning to the lively bunch situated around the cozy table in front of her and moves to stand behind Merida. Mr. Dunbroch strikes up some small-talk with Rapunzel, and she tries her best to concentrate on the conversation, but she can feel somebody's eyes on her, their stare like hot needles pricking her cheeks. Her curiosity spikes when she throws a sideways glance in Jack's direction only to discover that he isn't even looking her way. The tingling sensation refuses to recede, and she slowly turns her head the other way to search out the source of the stare.

Her heart plummets to her stomach when she catches Hiccup's fixed gaze. A crimson blush colors his cheeks, and he quickly averts his eyes down to the table. Just as quickly, Rapunzel locks her gaze on Merida's mass of bright red curls in front of her, but she can still feel him secretly watching her. Swallowing hard, she retreats to the kitchen, fully aware of his light green eyes on her. Hiccup's stare made her uncomfortable to say the least.

_Was there something on my face? _No, she didn't think so; she had already checked in the bathroom mirror before walking out into the family room.

_Was he just lost in thought and happened to be staring at her? _It's possible, but it definitely seemed like it was pretty direct.

With her back turned, she hears the swish of a chair on carpet and realizes that someone is following her into the next room. Afraid to look behind her, Rapunzel keeps her eyes fixed on the kitchen cabinets. She reaches to open one for a bowl when a hand from behind covers hers. Jumping in surprise, she accidentally slams her hip into the counter and whips her head around. Relief washes over her when she looks up to see a pair of stunning cerulean - not green - eyes gazing down at her.

"I need to talk to you," Jack whispers, his face inches from hers. "Hic may or may not have a crush on you."

Rapunzel's heart sinks and her head starts spinning as she stammers, "W-what? A crush . . . on _me_?"

"Yeah, that's what I just said. Keep up with me, Blondie," he retorts.

She rolls her eyes and replies, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "Well, thank you_ very_ much for that delightful newsflash."

His mouth curls up into a smirk. "You're _very_ welcome."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Hey, my mind's been a little preoccupied!" Jack shoots back defensively. He clears his throat and hurries to add, a hint of pink on his cheeks, "I mean, College football practice starts next month, and I have to make sure I'm amazing otherwise I won't be quarterback, though that probably won't be hard anyway."

Once again, she rolls her eyes at him. "Don't be such a Drama Queen. I'm surprised you can even fit a football helmet over that big head of yours."

"I didn't know until last night, okay?" He confesses, suddenly serious again as he shakes his head and pointedly avoids her gaze.

Dread fills the pit of her stomach when she realizes the awkward conversation with her best friend's brother that is inevitably coming. Because Merida has always been a sister-figure to her, Hiccup has just naturally feel into the roll of an older brother. Granted, a very irritating brother sometimes when he decides to openly ignore instructions among other things, but a brother nonetheless.

"Okay," she relents, "so what am I supposed to do now?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't like him that way! You're his best friend; can't you tell me how to break it to him?"

Jack takes a step back and throws his hands up in surrender. "Hey, I'm no love expert."

Annoyed, Rapunzel turns her back to him and drums the tips of her fingers on the counter-top in thought. An idea starts to tumble in her mind, and though it terrifies her, it also sends a shiver of excitement down her spine. Calming the butterflies in her stomach as best as she can, Rapunzel slowly spins to face him and whispers, "What if . . . what if I liked you, instead?"

"What?" he asks, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

She clears her throat and speaks up with a little more confidence, "What if I pretend to like you? If I make it obvious, then he'll know I don't like him the same way I 'like' you. That way I won't have to directly reject him or anything because he won't know I found out about how he feels."

Jack stares at her for a few moments, and she can almost see the gears turning in his mind as he thinks things over. Finally, another smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth. "That's quite a devious plan," he compliments.

"And?"

His blue eyes shine like ice laced with mischief as he asks, "So, this is all going to be pretend?"

Rapunzel swallows hard but tries not to let her confidence slip. "Unless, of course, you simply can't help but fall for me."

"Of course," he replies, mimicking her matter-of-fact tone, and reaches to tuck a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear.

The gesture makes her cheeks feel like they're on fire, and she fights to keep her breathing normal. "Well," she starts, "I hope you enjoy the show." And with that, she breezes past him and out of the kitchen.

**A/N - Hey guys! I really enjoyed writing this chapter because it shows a little bit of Jack's soft side. I know some of you aren't too happy about the whole Hiccup crushing on Punzie thing, but bear with me, okay? I promised this would be a Jackunzel fanfic, and that's what it is. I made sure to acknowledge the fact that Hic's like a brother to Rapunzel, thank you very much, and that's what he'll remain to be. On another note, I hope you guys can start to figure out how this is all going to go down, and if you have any predictions feel free to review and share them with me! Also, comments and suggestions are always welcome, so please please please review! Though I have to warn you, I am very set on some of the main elements in this plot, so be aware that if I don't directly use a suggestion it's because it's a part of my plot set-up and I don't really want to mess with parts of it. I hope you liked this chapter as much as I do, and if you are disappointed about the minimal fluff so far, please hang in there; there's lots of fluff coming soon!**

**~Jackunzelhayniac3~ **


	5. Chapter 5

~Jack~~~~

Jack can't believe what just happened. Did he just agree to be a fake boyfriend in order to trick his best friend? Obviously, it doesn't sound like a good idea, but it makes him smile anyway. Why did he agree to this? It's wrong on so many levels to do this to a friend, so then why is he happy to do it? His head feels like it's been stuffed with cotton. Thoughts swirl in the abyss and battle against both one another and his better judgement.

_What if Hic finds out that Rapunzel's faking? He's going to be hurt either way, so does it matter? Should I really help her do this? Am I technically helping her if she's doing all the pretending? _

He can't help feeling like there has to be another way, an easier way, but he shakes his head and follows Rapunzel's lead out of the kitchen a few minutes later.

The first thing he sees when he enters the family room causes a laugh to burst out of his mouth, so he covers it with his hand and pretends to cough instead.

Rapunzel is sitting in his vacated chair at the breakfast table, lounging back in it as if she owns it. So that's what she meant. Putting on his best look of annoyance, Jack stands right behind her chair, towering above her. He grips the top of the seat and rocks it a little to get her attention, but she continues chatting with Merida across the table as if nothing had happened. Forcing back a smirk, he clears his throat as loud as he can, and she finally tilts her head back to look up at him.

"Hey, I didn't even see you there," she says sweetly, her smile tainted with a twinge of nervousness he didn't expect to see. "I hope you don't mind that I sit here."

"Actually, I kind of do."

Her emerald eyes sparkle when she swats at his hands on the wood behind her and scolds, "Oh come on, that's no way to be a gentleman!"

"Out."

"But I just wanted to sit by my best friend, is that so wrong?"

He gives her a hard look, hoping it masks his hesitation.

"Fine," she relents exasperatedly, pouting a little as she rises and sits back down in her own chair.

"Finally," he mutters, "I was beginning to think that I was going to have to sit on you."

Rapunzel rolls her eyes, but giggles behind her hand anyways.

Jack doesn't know what made him say that, but he can't do anything about it now, and even if he had the chance, for some reason the smile on her face makes him think that he wouldn't take it back.

* * *

><p>~Rapunzel~~~~<p>

Rapunzel steps out onto the wrap-around deck, leaning against the railing next to her best friend, and closes her eyes to welcome the warm rays on her skin. When she opens them again, it feels like all of the air has been sucked out of her lungs at what she sees below.

Jack is walking down the pier, his back to her, and tugging his shirt over his head. The way his bare skin shimmers in the summer sun like sculpted marble makes her heart flutter, and she feels suddenly self-conscious in her tight, Tank-ini swimsuit. Jack turns around with his white-blond hair sticking out at odd angles and waves when he spots her, and she returns the gesture.

Merida nudges her arm, but Rapunzel doesn't respond, not wanting to break Jack's gaze. Even from this distance she can see how the blue-green color of the lake makes his eyes shine like perfect sapphires. Again, Merida tries knocking her arm into the girl next to her, but Rapunzel refuses to cooperate. Frustrated, Merida playfully waves a hand in front of Rapunzel's face, forcing her to look away. Rapunzel's face instantly grows hot when she notices Merida's smug expression as she pretends to talk into a walkie-talkie, "Earth to Punz. I repeat, earth to Punz."

Rapunzel swats Merida's arm, but her grin never leaves her red face as she innocently asks, "What?"

"Um, you were staring at him like he was the last bowl of hazelnut soup on the planet."

"Was not."

"Was too."

"Nuh uh."

"Yeah huh."

Rapunzel puts her hands on her hips, glaring at her best friend when she confesses, "So, what? I was staring at a guy taking off his shirt. Since when was that illegal in your book?"

"He isn't just some random guy anymore, this is Jack Overland."

Rapunzel narrows her eyes. "So? You know I like him, Mer."

"Yeah, I do, and _you_ know I've been supporting you for months now, but..."

"But what?"

"He's leaving," Merida blurts. "He'll be at college in the fall, and even if you two do end up together at some point this summer you can't just pack up and leave with him. You'll have to let him go, and I don't want you to have to go through that."

Rapunzel's eyes meet Merida's pools of blue, and it's clear that her friend's defense isn't disapproval, but concern - something she's definitely not used to seeing. At home, her step-mother was never concerned about her; all Gothel cared about was Gothel.

But she wasn't at home anymore.

That thought gave her hope, maybe not enough to fly, but at least enough to stand.

"I know he's leaving in a few months, but I'd rather take a chance now than waste a lifetime wondering 'what if'."

Merida is quiet for a few moments, looking at her best friend's face as if searching for a way to change her mind.

Finally, Merida releases a long sigh and cracks a small smile. "Go get 'em, Punz."

* * *

><p>~Jack~~~~<p>

He watches as she hugs Merida and tip-toes down the stairs one rickety stone at a time. Patience has never been in his vocabulary, and it doesn't take long before he gives up on waiting on the dock and decides to just go and talk to her. He stops at the foot of the staircase, his mind scrolling through all of the questions about the secret plan that he wants to ask her. With his thoughts running away with him, Jack doesn't notice the strap on Rapunzel's flip-flop snap and snag on the last step. The momentum throws her against him, and he barely manages to snap out of his trance in time to steady himself.

A bright pink blush immediately begins to flood her cheeks as she stammers to apologize, "I-I'm so sorry! Stupid sandals . . . I knew I should have replaced them weeks ago. I mean, I've had them for years, and they're a little too small anyway, and-"

Jack gently shakes her shoulders and doesn't even try to hold back a laugh at her ramblings. "A simple 'I'm sorry' would've cut it. It was just an accident; you don't need to be embarrassed or anything."

"Who said anything about being embarrassed?" Rapunzel asks defiantly, squaring her shoulders.

"Oh come on, Punzie, you suck at lying."

"I'm not lying!" She shoots back stubbornly.

"Oh really?" Jack tests skeptically. "If you're not embarrassed because you tripped, then why are you blushing?"

The moment the words left his mouth, her blush deepened, and she refuses to meet his gaze.

"See? We obviously need to work on your Poker-face."

"And you think you could teach me?"

The obvious challenge behind her words prodded his pride. "Please, nothing can break my Poker-face."

Rapunzel lifts her eyes to his, all hints of teasing erased, and her expression is unreadable. "So nothing I could say would throw you off?"

Her serious tone sparked his curiosity, and he leaned forward to test her resolve. He brought his face only inches away from hers, and she stood her ground, but the way her emerald eyes widened and breath caught ever so slightly did not go unnoticed.

"Nothing," he confirms.

She pauses and takes a couple of deep breaths, which only confuses him more. After a few moments, she finally opens her mouth to respond, but the slam of the screen door above them causes her to clamp her lips shut again and look down at her feet. Hiccup practically runs down the stairs, so Jack quickly turns towards the pontoon boat to cover up that he was just talking with her.

Even though he has his back to them, he can still hear Hiccup nervously stutter, "H—hey, Rapunzel. I was just wondering if you've, um, been out on the kayak?"

"Oh! Hey, Hiccup," Rapunzel replies, her voice wavering a little. "No, I haven't, really, not yet. But, uh, I think Merida and I are going for a ride in it later today."

"Oh, um, that's cool, I guess."

Mr. Dunbroch's voice booms from overhead on the deck above them, "Now boarding for the beach! Anyone who wants to hang out at the beach for a while can climb into the boat already. I'll be right down to take you."

Merida joins them on the dock within seconds, laughing excitedly and pulling Rapunzel into her dad's boat. Mr. Dunbroch cautiously boards the speedboat, making sure everyone is ready before backing out from the pier. As they race towards the beach on the other side of the lake, Jack throws sideways glances at Rapunzel, every time catching her eye through her tinted sunglasses. He quickly turns away and runs his fingers through his hair, wanting so badly to know what she was going to say before Hiccup interrupted her. There's something about her that he hasn't figured out yet, something he keeps missing every time he looks at her. It's driving him crazy knowing that she's hiding something behind her small smiles and quick glances, and he had caught a glimpse of it when she had looked up at him after she tripped, but one flash is not enough. Watching her hair stream behind her like liquid gold in the wind mesmerized him, and he didn't know why.

Mr. Dunbroch parks the boat a little ways down-shore from the beach, and everyone but jumps into the shallow water except him. Hiccup's the last one to get out, quickly grabbing the thick, foam football before carefully climbing over the side.

"Hey, dad, aren't you coming?"

The man shakes his head and props his feet up on the dashboard of the boat. "I'm fine right here, you guys go ahead. I'll just take a little cat-nap for a while."

Hiccup shrugs and chases after the rest of the group. He throws the football to Jack across the way, and he catches it with ease. Jack wades into deeper water and tosses it back. The second time he catches it, Jack hears someone running towards him from behind. Before he can even turn fully around, Rapunzel jumps on his back, the momentum sending them both tumbling into the frigid water. Sputtering, he yells, "What the heck was that for?"

Rapunzel sweetly bats her eyes at him, innocently explaining, "I wanted to scare you, and it worked! You should have seen the look on your face!"

A little agitated, but mostly surprised, Jack sarcastically retorts, "Well, congratulations; you got me."

Laughing harder than necessary, Rapunzel giggles at his remark, not-so-subtly placing a hand on his chest to balance herself as she doubles over. Jack is about to tell her that she's trying too hard and that she needs to tone it down a little, but before he has a chance to open his mouth, she reaches a hand down into the water and splashes him in the face. While he is distracted trying to wipe away the water from his eyes, she steals the football from his hands, running towards shore.

She looks back at him over her shoulder, throws him a wink, and taunts him, "If you want it, come and get it!"

A sly smile cracks on his face as he runs after her in pursuit. Catching up to her, Jack grabs Rapunzel around the waist from behind, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around. In the commotion, she drops the ball, so he tosses her aside and lunges for the prize. As soon as his hands grasp the foam ball, Rapunzel flings herself onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist in an attempt to wear him down. With his arms still somewhat free, he throws the football to Hiccup, who belly-flops into the water with the target underneath him. Merida runs towards her brother, eagerly joining their game of Ultimate Football.

Trying to get Rapunzel off his back, Jack reaches behind him and tickles her bare leg. Unable to hold on, she slides off backwards into the shallow, landing hard on her butt with an, "Ugh!" Laughing, Jack rushes to help his friend on the other side of the boat. Quickly on her feet, Rapunzel chases after him, grabbing his arms and yanking him onto his knees. She stands guard over him, curling her fingers around his shoulders to keep him down. Jack closes his eyes, strangely enjoying the feeling of her warm fingertips on his skin. Merida manages to steal the ball from her brother, running away before he could catch her. Rapunzel bolts toward shallower water, leaving her prisoner behind, yelling to her friend that she's ready to receive. Merida throws the ball towards her, and it lands with a smack in Rapunzel's hands. A wave of competitive pride washes over Jack, and he takes off at a sprint towards the blonde with the ball. He plows into her, his head ramming into her side and his arms wrapping around her waist, and the impact knocks them to the ground. Although they land hard on the sandy bottom of the shallow, Jack refuses to let go of her; instead, he holds her down with him. She struggles in his arms and wiggles around to try and break free, laughing uncontrollably.

He simply lets her fight, the ball still held tight in her hands, until she teases, "Tired already?"

Jack snorts and replies, "Of course not; I could do this all day."

With a twinkle in her eye, Rapunzel agrees, "So can I."

She pushes hard against his chest, forcing his arms off of her, and she throws the ball back to her friend. Jack runs past her, his eyes locked on the football. Suddenly, his legs are pulled out from under him, and he lands face-first in the water. Sputtering, he turns around to see Rapunzel standing behind him, holding tight to his ankles. Jack tries to roll away, but her grasp is like a vice.

Fire in her eyes, she taunts, "Gotcha again." He keeps wiggling, hoping to tire her, but she just laughs, "You look ridiculous! Almost like a beached whale."

For a moment, he glares at her, then can't help smiling when she looks down at him with her bright eyes. Suddenly, he twists out of her grasp and rises to his feet. Rapunzel's mouth forms a perfect "O" as he lifts her up from behind her knees, draping her body over his shoulder in revenge. Shrieking and giggling like a little girl, she pounds her fists halfheartedly on his back in protest. He carries her all the way over to where the siblings are wrestling in the deeper depths. Bracing his hands on her feet, he pushes her over his shoulder and flips her into the water.

* * *

><p>~Rapunzel~~~~<p>

Rapunzel scrambles to the surface, delightfully stunned by her tumble. Rising to her feet, she pushes past Jack, diving to help Merida yank the ball from her brother. Rapunzel tries to blindly fumble around for it, and when her finger brushes a bit of the foam, she latches onto the tip of the ball and pulls with all her might. Without warning, the ball pops loose, and she falls backwards into the water. She quickly jumps to her feet, ready to bolt, when Hiccup grabs hold of her shin. Annoyed, she slips from his grasp. Again, Hiccup recaptures her leg, but she simply yanks her foot right out from his hands.

Jack doubles over in laughter at the sight and asks, "What's the problem, Hic? Can't you hold her back for a minute?"

Hiccup shakes his head, embarrassed, and whines, "Her legs are too slippery!"

Proud of her freshly shaven legs, Lori rubs her calf and jokes, "Why, thank you."

Suddenly, Jack leaps onto her back in the exact same way that she had done to him earlier, his face centimeters away from hers, and his breath warm on her cheek. Without any warning, his lips brush the soft skin on her neck, and it's all she can do to keep breathing. It only lasted a fraction of a second, and it could very well have been an accident, but either way, she commits the feeling to memory. Obviously taking advantage of her surprise, Jack yanks the ball away from her, and she watches as he runs away, flashing her a smirk over his shoulder. Unable to resist, she chases after him, determined to be the last one standing with the football. Merida rips the ball from Jack's grasp and dodges his attack. She tries to throw it back to Rapunzel, but she misjudges the distance, and the ball sails over the other her friend's head.

It flies towards Hiccup, but it's still too high, so he runs backwards up the beach in order to intercept. With his back to the rest of the beach, all of his focus is on the ball, not where he's going, and before the ball can reach his hands his feet bump into something behind him, and he trips backwards. He lands sprawled on top of a girl in a deep red bikini who was innocently tanning when Hiccup practically ran her over.

With his cheeks glowing redder than the girl's swimsuit, Hiccup quickly stumbles to his feet and rushes to apologize. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, I should have watched where I was going."

"It's fine," the girl replies with a laugh, brushing sand out of a thick, messy, blonde braid dangling over her shoulder. She stands as the other three teenagers run to survey the damage that Hiccup had done.

"Here," Hiccup says, lifting the girl's beach towel and shaking off the excess sand. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

The blonde shakes her head and sports a smile. "No, you just scared me, that's all." She extends her hand towards Hiccup, her bright blue gaze taking him in. "I'm Astrid."

"Hiccup," he replies, returning the greeting.

Rapunzel looks from Hiccup to Astrid and nudges Jack's arm.

He nods and leans down to whisper, "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

She can't keep the smile off of her face when she teases, "So, how good are you at matchmaking?"

Rapunzel turns her attention back to the couple in front of her and notices Hiccup run a nervous hand through his shaggy brown hair, obviously unsure of what to say. "Are you new to town? I don't think I've ever seen you around here before."

"Sort of. I mean, I'm not from around here, no. I'm just renting a cabin here on the lake for the summer; I figured I could use a good vacation before I'm shipped off to college," Astrid explains.

"'Shipped'?"

Astrid is quiet for a moment and looks down at her feet as she curls her toes into the golden sand. "It's kind of a long story, I guess."

Just then, Mr. Dunbroch's booming voice calls from the boat, "Time to go! We need to get back if I'm going to have time to grill out."

Not wanting to leave and lose this moment between Hiccup and Astrid, Rapunzel blurts, "Hiccup, you should invite your new friend to dinner."

Hiccup gives her a hard look, but blushes when he realizes who he's glaring at.

"It's fine, really," Astrid clarifies. "I don't want to, like, be a burden or anything."

"Nah, you wouldn't be at all!" Merida chips in.

Rapunzel claps her hands together with excitement. "Yay! Then it's settled."

Hiccup and Astrid exchange looks before gathering up her things to carry to the boat. Merida practically drags their new friend and her brother over to introduce Astrid to their dad while Rapunzel and Jack hang back from the rest of the group, waiting until they are out of earshot to continue their conversation from before.

"Well, this turned into a very successful trip, didn't it, Punzie?" Jack asked, knocking his shoulder into hers as he twirls the foam football in his hands.

Rapunzel glances sideways at the boy next to her with a smug expression. "Oh?"

"Yeah. I mean, you flirted quite a bit, if you don't mind me saying so, and with Astrid now in the picture, it shouldn't be hard to sway his mind towards her more than you. Plus, I ended up with the ball, which, of course, means I win."

"Is that so? Well it'd be a shame if something were to happen to it, now wouldn't it?" With that, she throws all of her weight into him, knocking them both into the shallow water. Jack playfully glares at her, but a smirk flashes across her lips as she dunks his head back under the water and takes off running down the beach with the football. Her heart beats a million miles per second as her feet slap against the sandy shore. Suddenly, Jack's arms wrap around her waist from behind and lift her off of the ground. She screams in both surprise and delight, kicking wildly as he carries her over to the boat.

"I caught the fugitive," Jack announces, hoisting his catch up and over the side of the boat and plopping her onto the leather seats. Rapunzel swats his bare shoulder, and he tickles her in response. They both slouch against the sides of the boat while attempting to catch their breath, unable to resist sneaking glances and sharing smiles as the boat speeds across the lake towards the cabin

**A/N - There ya go, my wonderful readers! I'm so sorry for the unexpected little hiatus... I honestly didn't mean for it to take this long but life got in the way, as it always does. I hope you liked this new chapter! Please review and tell me what you think! I always appreciate every comment and compliment and take them to heart, so if you have anything you want to say, I want to hear it. Fluff is heating up, just like I promised, but if you're still not satisfied, don't worry, you guys haven't seen nothin' yet :)**

**As always,**

**~Jackunzelhayniac3~ **


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